Life of the Legend
by DaughteroftheRedKing
Summary: Prequel to 'The Fight for Power'. Lorelei and Yulia were well known for being close, but no one knew how they had come to be so reliant upon each other. (Rated T for violence and death) (Final part planned for the Highschool Arc) - Image doesn't belong to me
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello my lovely little readers! Welcome to the prequel of ****_'The Fight for Power'_****! This can be read as a stand alone (as it's a prequel, so no previous knowledge is needed), but it may be easier to understand certain aspects if you read the first one. For those of you new to the series, please not that some important things have been changed, though I don't want to ruin it for you :3**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss. It is the property of Namco Bandai and its affiliates.**

* * *

Tear was sitting in Yulia's office, working on some homework. Her mother sat at her desk, easily writing through some documents. It was peaceful and quiet, and Tear was enjoying the serenity of the afternoon just being in Yulia's presence.

Yulia suddenly glanced up before singing a single verse from her Fonic Hymn, a shield going up. Tear looked up in confusion then watched as the door was thrown open, Luke rushing in with a laugh. Asch and Lorelei came in after him, attempting to soak him in water.

As the two of them threw their water at him, Luke dodged out of the way. The water harmlessly hit the shield, but Yulia shot them a withering glare anyway.

The three boys hesitated before beating a hasty retreat, with a quick "Sorry!" to go with it. Tear rolled her eyes, finishing off her assignment before stretching and watching Yulia take the barrier down.

"They're such troublemakers sometimes," Yulia sighed, signing another piece of paper and moving onto the next one.

Tear nodded, considering something. "Hey, Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you and Lorelei meet?" Yulia looked up, confused, and Tear motioned to the door. "He acts so childishly, and you're so grown up. It just seems weird that you two could ever be friends."

"Hmmm...I suppose so. It's not really a secret, so I suppose I might as well tell you. Though I think I'll tell you about Lorelei more, seeing as you might understand him a little better if you know."

* * *

Lorelei's mother and father were part of two very strong families. Their control over Seventh Fonons was almost legendary, and eventually their parents decided they should be married.

Luckily, the two of them fell in love almost instantly. His mother was extremely beautiful, having a serene grace about her. His father was stern and cold, but loving when he wanted to be - mostly around his wife. When she fell pregnant, they were very happy, deciding their life couldn't get more perfect; they had amazing partners, wealthy families, and would soon have their own child.

However, it didn't turn out as they expected. The birth was rough, and by the time Lorelei was born, his mother died from the strain. His father, overcome with grief, practically abandoned the child to the wetnurses and servants of his manor home.

Eventually his family grew fed up with his grieving, and distanced themselves from him, feeling that he brought shame upon their family name. Lorelei, at this time three, was starting to understand the world a little better and seemed to realise that something bad had happened, and that it seemed to be his fault.

* * *

Lorelei was used to waking up to hear his father either breaking a bottle, drinking, or snoring loudly after having passed out. He preferred the mornings when he was asleep or drunk; on the mornings he was angry, he would usually beat Lorelei before the young boy could leave the house.

Many times he'd asked his father why he hurt him so much, but it seemed his father didn't really have a good reason for his rage. The best he'd ever gotten was 'You look too much like your mother', but seeing as Lorelei knew nothing about her, he couldn't really relate. Instead, he grew up hating this man who seemed to hate him, and who got pleasure out of hurting him.

However, the only good thing about his father was that he wasn't stupid. All kids were required to go to school, so if Lorelei didn't attend at all, they would know something was wrong. Five days a week, Lorelei was able to stay out of the house for most of the day, avoiding at least six beatings.

Lorelei loved school. A lot of kids complained about it, moaning about how they wished it was the weekend so that they could play, or making jokes about how they wanted to burn it down; but to Lorelei, it was a true home. A place he could learn, feel safe, and had kind people around that protected him. He grew especially close to the cook, who was constantly fussing about him and giving him extra helpings because he was 'too gangly for his own good'.

The only downside to school was the other students. They all avoided him, mostly because he was pretty aggressive. If he wasn't also pretty antisocial, he'd probably had ended up getting into as many fights as he got beatings.

If the school thought something was wrong, however, they didn't mention it. Lorelei had wanted to tell someone for a while, but he wasn't sure if it was a normal thing and didn't want them to get worse if the school reported it.

It was the end of a normal school day, Lorelei having stayed behind to help the teachers pack up and the janitor to clean. Now the school was being locked up, so he had to go home.

As he wandered down the street, golden eyes gazing up at the setting sun, he suddenly..._felt _something. Another presence seemed to appear behind him, and he turned in surprise.

A girl about his age stood there. Her golden-brown hair was rather long, and she had a pretty face. She smiled gently, her blue eyes shining.

"Hello," she said.

Lorelei eyed her suspiciously. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you. I can see the future, you see, so I know everything about you."

Lorelei snorted. "Oh, really? Alright then, tell me," he challenged, turning to face her with his arms folded.

The girl considered. "Well, your mother died when you were born, and your father abuses you daily. You want to leave, but you're afraid he may hunt you down or hurt you more. You're bad at making friends, but very lonely, and this just makes you more aggressive."

Lorelei stared at her, a little worried. No one knew that much about him...What if she told someone?

"I'm in your class, too. You don't really hang out with anyone, do you? Actually, thinking about it, you do rather badly in Fonic Artes, right?"

"I-It's not my fault...I just can't control them properly..." Lorelei muttered.

The girl smiled. "Don't worry. It's because you're only made of Seventh Fonons. No one at our school teaches us how to use Seventh Fonons, and you can't really control any other fonons if you don't have them, so that's why you struggle."

Lorelei looked hesitant. "How do you know all that?"

"Like I said, I can see the future. Usually it's not very clear, but yours is much clearer for some reason."

He shook his head. "You...You freak!" he snapped, turning and rushing off. The girl blinked, her smile fading, and clasped her hands together.

"Right...Mummy said people don't like knowing that type of stuff..." she murmured to herself.

* * *

Lorelei avoided the girl from then on. If he saw her, he would blank her and actively ignore her if she tried to talk to him. When she realised how resolute he was, she seemed to stop trying, and he occasionally saw her sitting by herself.

After a while, he found himself constantly seeking her out, watching as she moved hesitantly around everyone else. She didn't seem to have any friends, and most people would yell insults at her when she walked by them. Lorelei found himself wondering if he had acted too harshly, and decided that yes, yes he had. She was probably just lonely, like him, and simply tried to make friends using the only thing she knew how to do.

Seeing the future was a bit weird...but it probably had it's uses. And it probably didn't make her life any easier, either. Finally, he decided he'd work up the courage to talk to her again, and waited for an opportunity

His opportunity arrived a couple of days later. At lunch, everyone was pretty much kicked outside. Lorelei was sitting, reading a book about Seventh Fonons, when he heard yelling. Looking up, he saw a large circle of students. Confused and curious, he stood up and joined them. The students near him quickly moved away, giving him a clear view of what was going on.

Two boys stood in the centre of the circle, the girl on the opposite side. They both looked ready to fight her, shouting insults and jeering at her. She tried to calm them down, looking ready to cry, but that only made them tease her more.

"You can see the future, right?! Well then, I bet you can dodge this!" taunted one of the boys before lunging out with a punch. It easily caught the girl, sending her stumbling back to hit the floor. She rubbed her cheek, looking up with barely withheld tears.

"Crybaby! Crybaby!" chanted several people, laughing.

The girl stood up, hugging herself. "Please, just leave me alone..." she mumbled.

"When you dodge one! Try this!" He lashed out with a kick, hitting her side, and she fell to the floor with a sob.

"You're fine, jeez! You can heal yourself after all, right?" pointed out the other guy, pulling her up and leaning back to punch her again.

The girl flinched as the punch flew at her, before it was easily caught. The crowd went silent, looking at Lorelei hesitantly. He paused a moment, glaring at the boy.

"Isn't it a little stupid to pick on someone weaker than you?" he snapped, throwing the boy back.

"Oi, keep out of this rapunzel! It's got nothing to do with you."

Lorelei raised an eyebrow, straightening and easily placing himself between the girl and the two boys. "Really? I thought I'd already gotten involved."

The boy on the right gritted his teeth. "You think you're so cool? There's a reason no one here likes you, you freak!"

Lorelei gazed at him with cold eyes, and the crowd drew back slightly, nervous. Then he shrugged. "Did you really think that would offend me?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

One of the boys rushed forward, punching him. Lorelei easily blocked him, lashing out with a kick and easily engaging in a pretty one-sided fight with the boy. While Lorelei was distracted, the other boy rushed past them, murmuring an incantation for a Fonic Arte. Water flowed around his palm, before he thrust it out at the girl.

Lorelei spotted the attack out of the corner of his eye and scowled. Throwing the boy off, he easily leapt infront of Yulia. He thrust his palm forward, and suddenly power shot forth, crashing against the attack and easily quelling it. The power slammed into the two boys, sending them flying back so that they skidded across the ground.

Lorelei lowered his hand, blinking in surprise. He glanced at it a moment, then watched as the two boys stood up. They gazed at him hesitantly before backing off, looking scared. The other students also fled, leaving Lorelei and the girl.

"Thank you," the girl murmured, nursing her cheek. She murmured a brief incantation before a glow appeared around her injuries, healing them. Repeating it, she lifted her hand to Lorelei, and he felt his various bruises - even those he recieved from his father - fading.

"You don't need to thank me. Actually, I should really thank _you_...and I'm sorry about how I reacted before. I was just a little weirded out, I guess, but that doesn't excuse how I acted," he murmured.

The girl blinked before smiling. "It's alright. I feel a little honoured, actually; you used your Seventh Fonons to help me, right? You've never used them before."

Lorelei glanced at her, then nodded. "Yeah. It was just instinctive."

"The first time usually is. I suppose I better get going," she said, giving a brief wave before heading off.

"Hey!" Lorelei called, and she paused, looking back. He fidgeted slightly, then rubbed the back of his head. "What's your name?"

The girl blinked, then smiled. "I'm Yulia."

"...Nice to meet you, Yulia. I'm Lorelei."

"I already knew that. But it's nice to meet you too, Lorelei," she replied, giggling before heading off.

* * *

**A/N: So, how was the first chapter? I admit, it doesn't seem much like recounting a memory, but hopefully it's acceptable anyway. **

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: In which Yulia and Lorelei become best friends, and cheagles love Lorelei.**

* * *

When Lorelei finally left school that afternoon, he sighed. The boys had quickly reported that he attacked them using fonons, and they had given him a stern talking to about how you shouldn't use fonons against the other students except in mock fights and practices. When he tried to tell them that the boys had been about to attack Yulia with fonons too, they almost seemed to blank him out, and he'd gotten no further.

It was the first time that he actually felt irritated at the school, especially for how unfair it seemed, but he couldn't exactly do anything and trying to fight them would probably get him expelled.

As he wandered down the path, wondering what he could make for dinner that night, he felt that weird presence thing again and turned. Yulia smiled as she spotted him, easily walking beside him.

"Did they tell you off?" she asked.

"Yeah...It's really annoying, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it."

"I'm sorry. If you hadn't helped me, then you wouldn't have gotten in trouble.."

Lorelei blinked then grinned. "Hey, don't worry about that! It's no trouble, after all."

Yulia hesitated, then lowered her head slightly. "When you get home tonight...go straight to your room. Just stay there for the night. Wait until after ten before getting some food, otherwise you'll be hurt," she mumbled.

Lorelei looked confused. "Huh?"

"The school...I think they sent someone to tell your dad about you fighting. So when you get back tonight, he'll want to hurt you."

Lorelei stiffened a little, looking worried, then nodded. "Alright. I'll just hide out in my room tonight then."

"Block the door," added Yulia suddenly.

"With what?"

"A chair, a table, anything. Just make it difficult for him to get in."

Lorelei nodded slowly. "...Alright."

* * *

The two kids quickly grew close. With Lorelei now being feared by the rest of the students for his 'really strong Third Fonons' - even though when he tried to use Third Fonons, he was completely inept - and Yulia still being called a witch because she could predict the future, the two of them found it easier just to hang out together and avoid the rest of the students.

"Why did you just decide to talk to me, anyway?" asked Lorelei one lunch time, lying on the grass and staring up at the clouds.

Yulia hesitated. "...Well, like I said before, your future is much clearer than other people's for some reason. You seem to have a great future ahead of you. But...there are a lot of dark times as well. Nothing is completely clear, so I can't tell you what they will be, but it seems the more you try to fight them the more painful they will become."

Lorelei glanced at her in surprise, then sighed, eyes darkening a little. "So I'm basically just going to continue to be hurt for the rest of my life? That's what you mean?" he murmured.

Yulia shook her head. "Not always. There are a lot of bright times as well, and it's those times that will help get rid of the darkness a little."

"Oh? Can you see any of them?"

"Not too clearly, again...though," She tilted her head a little. "I see two boys with hair as red as yours and beautiful emerald eyes. I'm not sure who they are."

Lorelei shrugged. "I guess I'll find out when I'm older."

Yulia smiled. "I promise, Lorelei, you will come to cherish those times," she murmured.

* * *

As the years passed, Yulia and Lorelei quickly became unseperable. When they began to open up to one another a little more, Yulia explained that actually she lived in a happy family life, with a caring mother and father. One afternoon she asked him to come around so that her parents could meet him.

The two went around after school had finished, and Lorelei paused outside the house. Although it was a normal size, it seemed huge and grand in his eyes, and he spent a moment just staring at it.

"Come in, silly," Yulia teased, padding over to the door.

Lorelei followed her in, a little hesitant. He had no idea how he was supposed to act around them, and he hoped he didn't make an idiot of himself.

As they walked in through the door, Yulia closed it behind him and easily slipped out of her coat, hanging it up and taking her shoes off.

"I'm home!" she called, padding forward. Lorelei copied her actions, following after her.

They entered the kitchen and Yulia's mother looked up, smiling as she spotted her.

"Oh, Yulia. Welcome home. Did you have a good day at school?"

"Mm-hmm! Oh, Mum, this is Lorelei, my friend. Lorelei, this is my mum, Alisa."

Alisa turned her gaze on Lorelei, smiling. "So, you're my daughter's friend, hmm? She's told me a lot about you," she greeted.

"R-Really?" asked Lorelei, a little out of his depth.

Alisa laughed. "Don't worry, nothing to do with her predictions," she promised.

"Oh, um, okay. It's nice to meet you," he replied, starting to relax a little. Alisa seemed nice, at least. He almost felt jealous of Yulia.

"Anyway, we're going up to my room now, okay Mum?"

"Alright," Alisa replied, watching as they headed off before turning back to her cooking.

Yulia glanced back at Lorelei, who was gazing around the place in interest. "What do you think?" she asked, smiling.

"Huh? About what?" he asked.

"Well...how about my mum?"

Lorelei considered. "She seems really nice. Do you think my mum would have been like her?"

"Maybe. Some mum's can be mean occasionally, but I think your mum loved you a lot," Yulia replied.

Lorelei nodded slowly, considering this, then smiled at Yulia. "Well, I like it here at least. Where's your dad?"

"At work. He'll be back in a little while, so why don't we go play outside for a bit? There's a really big forest near here that have some...friends I'd like you to meet."

* * *

The two of them headed down into the forest that was pretty much outside Yulia's back door, Yulia easily navigating through the woods. Lorelei followed after her, stumbling on roots occasionally but mostly able to keep up with her.

As they went deeper in, Lorelei glanced around. "Aren't we there already?" he asked.

Yulia shook her head. "They're pretty shy, so they like hiding deep in the woods. You'll see them soon, so just come on."

"These sound like weird friends..." Lorelei muttered, sighing and continuing to follow her.

Finally they came to a halt in a clearing. Yulia glanced back at Lorelei, who happily sank down onto one of the tree roots with a groan.

"Do you do this every day?" he asked, glancing at her.

"Not every day, no. Most days though."

"I guess you just get used to it after a while, huh? How did you even find this place? It's so deep..."

Yulia blushed a little. "I got lost when I was younger...Then my friends found me and helped me get back home. I've been coming back a lot since."

"Where are these friends, anyway?" asked Lorelei, looking around.

Yulia smiled, then turned her back on him a moment. She took a deep breath then suddenly began to sing. Lorelei blinked, captivated by her voice. He'd never heard it before...he wondered where she'd learned it, and what it meant.

She soon finished, and waited patiently. There was a sudden chattering, and he looked up before staring as several cheagles came rushing towards them. They gathered around Yulia, hugging her and chatting at her. Lorelei felt himself vaguely annoyed by their high-pitched squeaks, but pushed it down.

Yulia talked to them a moment before smiling and turning to Lorelei. "These are my friends," she introduced, motioning to them. They gazed at Lorelei in worry, backing away a little. Yulia giggled then knelt down. "Don't worry, he's a friend of mine. His name is Lorelei, and he's really nice."

The cheagles chittered between each other a moment before giving a unanimous cry and rushing at him. Lorelei barely got out a strangled yelp before they practically buried him under a heavy blanket of fur.

"W-What the hell?! Get off me!" he cried, struggling against their weight.

Yulia looked a little surprised. "Oh my. They've never acted like that before.." she murmured.

* * *

**A/N: And thus we understand why Luke is annoyed by Meiu. And Yulia's parents won't be mentioned much, I just gave her mother a name for introductions sake.**

**Review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: The little baby's are all grown up *cooes***

* * *

Yulia's house quickly became a second home for Lorelei. He was constantly coming around after school to have some of Alisa's delicious cooking, and eventually met Yulia's father, Mark. Initially he was a little hesitant, but when he got to know the older man a little better, he soon found himself opening up.

The years passed quickly in Lorelei's eyes, and eventually he found himself saying goodbye to his school. He'd finally graduated, but now faced the problem of having no idea what to do now.

Yulia had already decided to attend a school that specialised in teaching Fonic Hymns. Although they were sad to part, Lorelei couldn't use Fonic Hymns, and Yulia wanted to get better.

"We'll meet again one day, Lorelei. I know it," Yulia said with a smile as they walked down the street.

"It's going to be weird not seeing you every day though," Lorelei admitted.

Yulia giggled. "I feel the same." Her smile faded a little, and she reached up to touch the necklace at her throat. "I wish I'd gotten you a present too. It's amazing that you were able to make this," she murmured.

Lorelei shrugged. "I've just been trying to control the Seventh Fonons, and this one seemed pretty easy. Anyway, I don't really need a gift. You've already done a lot for me."

Yulia nodded slowly. "If you say so. Anyway, I need to finish packing to get my ship in a couple of days. I'll see you later," she said, waving as she headed off down the street.

Lorelei waved back until she was out of sight before sighing and heading back to his own home. He hadn't told her, but he was leaving tonight...He didn't want to stay a moment longer than he needed to. He may have no idea what to do, but he was pretty adept at fighting, so he figured he may aswell act as a freelance for a while. It would at least earn him some money.

Then again, Yulia may already know what he planned on doing...He wasn't sure, honestly. She didn't really predict the future often, just when she felt she had something he needed to hear. He'd asked her about her future, but she said she couldn't actually see it; something about looking directly into the other person's eyes, and mirrors weren't good enough. Though she just had to look once and she could get random insights on their future if they were important enough.

It all sounded pretty complicated and inconvenient to Lorelei. Yulia didn't really like looking other people in the eye because of it, but she said it was just because she hadn't learnt how to use it properly. He guessed when she got better at it, she'd be able to use it better.

He eventually reached his house, and gazed up at it a moment before taking a breath. Just a few more hours, and he wouldn't have to come back here ever again.

He walked in, pausing a moment to listen. He couldn't really hear anything, and wondered if his dad was asleep.

Walking over to the living room, he slowly pushed the door open, glancing in. His dad wasn't in there, and he frowned, confused. Closing the door again, he considered before shrugging. Maybe he'd actually gone upstairs to sleep for once in his life. Or he'd finally gone for a shower.

He heard footsteps behind him and immediately crushed the thought. He turned, seeing his dad standing there.

"Um..Hi dad. I'll just-"

"Where are you going?"

Lorelei blinked. "Huh?"

"Your bags are packed. Your room is practically empty. Why is that?"

"I've got to move out at some point..."

His dad scowled. "No. You're staying here, with me."

Lorelei frowned. "What are you on about? I can't stay-"

"You can, and you will. You aren't leaving," his dad snarled.

Lorelei shook his head, moving past him to head for the stairs. As he brushed past him, his dad stiffened before suddenly moving. Lorelei glanced back then gasped as he was suddenly slammed against the wall, the hand around his neck tightening.

"I said, you aren't leaving," he snarled.

Lorelei grabbed at his arm, trying to force him off. He was physically stronger than him after hours of daily training, but his dad still retained some of his own strength. As Lorelei slowly pried his fingers from his neck, however, his dad gave a growl before lifting his other hand.

It began to glow slightly, and Lorelei looked at it in confusion before realising he was using his fonons. Light seemed to gather, forming a sort of spear, and his dad lifted it up. Lorelei's gaze snapped from him to the weapon, fear rushing through him.

His dad was going to kill him? Why? Wait...he was going to die?

"You are mine," his dad hissed as he brought the spear down.

The door burst open, a single word being shouted before an attack slammed into his dad. He went flying back, hitting the wall and slumping.

Lorelei remained frozen for a moment, trying to process what had happened. He suddenly felt a gentle hand investigating his neck, checking for any lasting damages.

"Are you alright? I was almost home when I got a feeling of you in danger...I should have come back with you," Yulia murmured, happy that he was fine and lowering her hand.

Lorelei glanced at her, his mind finally working. "...Uh...thanks."

Yulia smiled, then glanced over at his dad. "You should get your things now, before he wakes up again. I'm not sure when he'll regain consciousness."

Lorelei nodded, heading up the stairs. He grabbed his two bags, strapping his sword to his side before heading back down to Yulia. He nodded at her, signifying he was ready to go, and the two of them hurried out.

When they were a safe distance away, Lorelei sighed. "Thanks, Yulia," he said, smiling tiredly.

Yulia shrugged, giving a soft smile. "It's fine," she replied.

"I've really become reliant on you...Sorry," he mused.

Yulia shook her head. "It's a good thing to rely on people. You should keep doing it, Lorelei. The more bonds you gain, the more likely those happy times in your life will come about," she said.

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, I'm sorry Yulia, but I have to go get on my ship now or I'll miss it."

"Alright. Good luck with whatever you end up doing," she replied, gently hugging him.

* * *

A couple of years passed. Lorelei found making a living by doing requests was a lot easier than he had originally expected, especially as rich people seemed to pay a lot for rather simple requests. He was also able to travel most of the world, seeing new sights and meeting new people.

The monster threat had been rising a little, though no one was sure why, but plenty of people were willing to go out and fight them to earn money. Lorelei found this was his main source of income as well, and was a pretty simple way of getting money and more experience in fighting.

He'd just finished a job, and decided to wander around Baticul before he took on his next one. The City of Light had a lot of stalls set up, and the streets were bustling with people. The crowds didn't particularly phase him, though there were a few more people than he was comfortable with.

When he finally got fed up of being jostled around constantly, he decided to find a more isolated area. The port was generally a good place, and the back areas where they dealt with shipments and such were almost always empty. Wandering around, he found peace and quiet, and sighed quietly.

"Man...How can anyone put up with all that noise..." he mumbled, giving a wide yawn and stretching before putting his hands behind his head.

A sudden yell caught his attention, and he turned, looking around for it's source. Not seeing anything, he frowned before starting forward. As he turned the corner, he blinked. A girl was being pushed onto a boat by a group of men, struggling against them but unable to escape their grasps.

Without really stopping to think, he leapt forward, drawing his sword and attacking the men holding her. There was brief confusion as they tried to make sense of the figure slashing at them, but eventually they pushed the girl aside and started attacking him instead.

Despite it being five against one, Lorelei was easily able to hold his own. He quickly avoided a strike from the first, blocking an attack from one of the others and kicking the third man back. Pulling his sword free from the second man, he stabbed and sent him reeling back, before turning and slashing at the fourth. The first came up behind him, attacking again, and he stepped to the side slightly before lashing out with a punch and making him stagger back. He easily killed the fourth before turning on the third and fifth, who were the only ones fit to fight. The fifth man rushed forward, swinging his axe at Lorelei, but he easily leapt up to avoid it. As he came back down, he slammed his foot into the third man's face, then stabbed the fifth before landing on the ground agilely.

He gave a brief smirk, lowering his sword slightly, then heard a scream. He turned, freezing briefly as he saw the first man lifting a knife to stab the girl, then lifted his hand. A gold glow suddenly appeared around him, before power shot forward and sent the man flying back.

The girl slowly sank to the floor, shaking. Lorelei quickly wiped the blood off his sword before sheathing it and walking over.

"Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling down.

The girl looked up, gazing at him. Blood was splattered over his face and a bit on his clothes, but his golden eyes were gentle, searching her for any sign of injury. She slowly felt herself relaxing around this man who had saved her.

"I-I'm fine. Thank you," she murmured, accepting the hand he offered and being pulled into a standing position.

"Where do you live? I'll take you back, just in case those guys decide to attack you again," Lorelei offered, smiling.

The girl blushed. "Oh, um...In the castle," she said, pointing.

Lorelei looked surprised, then grinned. "Oh ho! So you would be this stunning princess I've heard of?"

"Well, I wouldn't say 'stunning'..."

"Oh come now, don't sell yourself short. It is an honour to grace your presence," he said extravagently, bowing.

The girl blushed deeper, looking away. "D-Don't be silly. Anyway, what's your name?" she asked as they finally stared off.

Lorelei smiled, allowing the silly act to drop. "Lorelei. And may I have yours, m'lady?"

"I'm Suzanne. If you knew I was the princess, why didn't you know that?" asked Suzanne, a little confused.

Lorelei shrugged. "I'm not actually from Kimlasca. I was born in Hod."

"Really? Wow! The people from Hod are said to prefer remaining in their own country..."

"Yes, well...Let's just say I didn't feel very at home there. I've just been travelling around, really."

"That must be amazing...My father doesn't really let me leave the city, so I haven't seen anywhere else," Suzanne sighed.

Lorelei blinked, then grinned. "If you get the chance, then travelling around is a really great experience. I've enjoyed myself a lot, I admit."

"It's sounds fun, at least," agreed Suzanne, smiling.

* * *

**A/N: Weird cut off, I know, but meh. And Suzanne is finally introduced! Seeing as she didn't get much attention in the other two stories, I'm happy to finally flesh out her character for this one.**

**Review?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Little bit of bonding with Lorelei and Suzanne (I have literally nothing to say up here)**

* * *

When they eventually reached the castle, the guards quickly let them pass, and they headed up to the tall building. Suzanne continued to chat most of the way, pointing out certain things about the castle.

"My room is up there. It has a really amazing view of the city," she said, pointing.

"You're very lucky to live in such a beautiful place," Lorelei agreed.

They walked into the hall, Lorelei looking around in interest. The place was huge and grand, and he almost felt intimidated by the large structure. Suzanne easily led him towards the main hall, nodding at the knights as they approached. The knights easily threw the large double doors open, allowing Suzanne and Lorelei to enter.

"Well look harder!"

Lorelei looked towards the front of the large hall, seeing a man standing infront of the throne. He was yelling at some knights, a boy to the side of him looking a little worried.

"What on Auldrant is the matter, Father?" asked Suzanne, raising an eyebrow. The man, who Lorelei assumed must be the King, jumped before turning.

"Suzanne! You're safe!" he cried, rushing over to her and scooping her into a hug. Suzanne smiled and returned the gesture.

"Yes. I'm sorry for worrying you. In fact, if it wasn't for Lorelei, I would probably be in a much worse situation," she explained, drawing back slightly.

"Oh?" the King asked, turning to Lorelei. He hesitated, unsure how to act, then gave a bow.

"An honour to meet you, Your Majesty."

"Please, if you truly saved my daughter, then it is I who should bow to you. Look at me; I'd like to see exactly who it is that saved her," he said.

Lorelei straightened, a little surprised by how he acted. He didn't think a king would ever believe he would need to bow to anyone. He met the king's gaze unblinkingly, brilliant gold eyes almost seeming to glow.

"Yes...I can see why you would be someone able to save her," he murmured, gazing at Lorelei.

Lorelei looked confused. "I'm..sorry? I'm afraid I don't.."

"It's of no matter. You have my deepest gratitude. Please, wouldn't you accept a reward?"

Lorelei hesitated. He should really say no...

"..Although a reward wouldn't be unwelcome, it seems rude of me to accept something..." he said finally.

The king gave a laugh. "You don't need to worry. I'll get the royal treasurers to organise something. In the meantime, would you like to join us for dinner?"

"I would be honoured, sir."

* * *

Lorelei found that the meal wasn't nearly as awkward and stuffy as he had been expecting. The king was a kind man - he could tell that just by talking with him - and he seemed to love his daughter with all his heart. It turned out the boy was his son, Ingobert, who would be taking over the throne when he finally abdicated or died.

"I daresay he wishes I'd just up and leave already," the king chuckled, glancing at Ingobert.

"Father, you really shouldn't demeen yourself. I doubt I could be as good a ruler as you are," Ingobert replied.

"You're too modest, Ingobert. You have many good ideas for the kingdom, and already the people love you."

"That may be so, but we would all be sad to see you go. You are someone everyone looks up to," Suzanne said, smiling.

The king shook his head, glancing at Lorelei. "I've been blessed with such wonderful children. Pity Suzanne has to be so rebellious at times," he chuckled.

"I couldn't imagine her being like that," Lorelei admitted, glancing over at her.

"Oh, she's very willful. When she was younger, she would cry or shout until she got what she wanted. It's a miracle she isn't spoilt. You should be wary around her," he said, giving a quick wink.

Lorelei looked at him in confusion, then turned as Suzanne started speaking. "Father, you make me sound like some common brat," she admonished.

"Ah, forgive me. You are the most charming and beautiful young lady I have ever met."

"Why Father, thank you," she said sweetly. She glanced at Lorelei. "And what of you, kind sir?"

Lorelei grinned, dipping his head low. "Never have I met a more radiant woman as sits before me," he replied.

"You're such a flatterer," Suzanne said, shaking her head.

"You must have been popular with the women," agreed Ingobert, glancing at him.

Lorelei gave a tight smile. _'If them avoiding you and calling you a monster counts as popular...' _"Oh, I wouldn't say that."

"Come now, don't be modest," giggled Suzanne.

"I speak but the truth, my lady," Lorelei replied, then decided to change the subject. "I suppose you've had many men coming to ask for your hand in marriage?"

"Well, not as many as some noble ladies, but a fair amount. It's a bit tiring, actually."

"I'm sure you'll find a man perfect for you one day."

"Probably, but I'm in no hurry. If they can love me for more than my beauty, then they can wait for me until I'm old and grey," she giggled.

* * *

Later that evening, once the meal was finished and they had retired for the night, Lorelei headed down the steps towards town. He'd just have to book a room at the inn for the night...

"Lorelei!" a voice called, and he glanced back, watching in surprise as Suzanne hurried down the steps towards him.

"Your Highness?"

Suzanne sighed. "Please, would you call me Suzanne? Very few people call me by my real name, and it gets a bit boring after a while."

Lorelei blinked then smiled. "Alright then, Suzanne. Did you need me for something?"

"Nothing in particular...I was just thinking...the next time you're in Baticul, would you come up to say hello? I'd like to meet you again," she said hesitantly.

"You want to meet a ruffian like me again?" teased Lorelei, laughing.

"S-Shut up! Just promise me you'll come by again, alright?" she muttered, pouting.

Lorelei gazed at her a moment, hesitating, then remembered Yulia telling him to form bonds. Shrugging, he decided it couldn't hurt. "Of course. Next time I'm in town, I'll see if I can climb up to your window," he replied.

Suzanne looked back at him, smiling. "I'll wait for the day. Have a safe journey, Lorelei," she said.

Lorelei nodded, watching her walk off before turning and heading down to the town.

* * *

**A/N: Suzanne randomly became tsundere at the end there...Oh well. And I know it's pretty short, but I think I threw it off a bit with the extra bit at the end last chapter, so I figured I should get it back on track now rather than have it messed up later.**

**Review?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't really know how long this'll last...My best guess is about 13-15 chapters, but I don't know for sure.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own TotA, and I'm really bad on the game I own too.**

* * *

Lorelei yawned as he got off the boat at Daath. He hadn't actually been to the city yet, so he was interested in having a look around. And hey, maybe the religion-fanatic freaks would pay well.

Wandering down the street, he glanced at the shops, seeing the wares they sold. As he passed people, he heard them talking about a beautiful prophet, though others said she was a healer. In fact, the accounts varied so much, he had a very confusing image in his mind of what she must look like.

As he grew closer to the city square, he saw more and more people gathering. Deciding a quick look couldn't hurt, he followed them, wondering what was going on.

It took him a few minutes to push through the crowds and get close enough that he could actually see what was going on, but when he did he stopped in surprise.

A light-brown haired woman stood in the centre of the crowds, a man kneeling infront of her with his head bowed slightly. Her hand was slightly above his forehead, and as she murmured something it began to glow. She slowly lowered her hand onto his forehead, and his body lit up.

When she removed her hand, the glow faded, and everyone went quiet. The man slowly opened his eyes, looking around himself before gazing up at the woman in shock.

"I-I'm cured!" he cried happily, leaping up and rushing back to his family. He scooped his wife, two sons and three daughters into a hug, them all crying and laughing happily as they hugged him back.

The woman smiled. "You shall live a long and prosperous life, kind sir. Also, it seems you shall have another child soon - a daughter."

"What? But they're already so old..." mumbled a few other people.

"Thank you," the man murmured, bowing his head to her. The woman smiled, inclining her head in return, then turned to the next person.

"She's amazing...she's healed so many people, and apparently all of her predictions come true," murmured one person near Lorelei.

"She's saved a lot of people's lives. We are all in her debt," agreed their friend.

Lorelei glanced back, then closed his eyes before turning away. He was happy to see Yulia again after all this time, but she obviously had a place here. He didn't want to disturb her.

He headed back through the crowds, deciding to try and look for some work. Though, with Yulia being here, they may feel there was nothing to be done...Maybe he should just move onto the next town.

He was turning down a different street when he felt someone behind him. Confused and a little wary, he turned, reaching for his sword. He was suddenly enveloped in a hug, and his surprise quickly turned to confusion.

"Lorelei! I thought I saw you. I'm so happy I got to see you again," Yulia cried, smiling.

Lorelei glanced down at her, then smiled. "Well, I'm happy to see you as well. But weren't you doing something?"

"Oh, I only do that for about half an hour every day, in case my energy gets depleted too much. I was pretty much finished when I spotted you, so I just said I was tired and went after you."

Lorelei raised an eyebrow. "What if someone was really ill?"

"Anyone who has a life threatening disease or is so severely injured that they're close to death can either come see me in the church, or will be done first during that time," Yulia explained.

"Sounds like they really rely on you," Lorelei said, surprised.

Yulia nodded, smiling. "I like it here. When they realised my gift, they didn't fear me; they encouraged me to use it. Though, I have to admit...there are things that people don't particularly want to hear, so I don't tell them anymore."

"Well, I'm happy that you've settled in so well."

Yulia nodded, then glanced back. "Why don't we go to my private chambers? That way if anyone has an emergency they can easily find me, and we can easily catch up."

"Sounds like a plan," Lorelei agreed, grinning.

* * *

The two of them sat in the main room that Yulia took visitors in, comfortably sat. They'd been talking for a while now, and it was starting to get dark.

"When you were in the square earlier, it seemed like you could see that man's future clearer than you used to. Have you gotten control of it?" asked Lorelei.

Yulia smiled. "Not completely, but I'm much better than I used to be. I can look people in the eye without seeing their future, at least, and sometimes I can actually read the future of the world, insted of just one person," she said.

Lorelei whistled. "Wow...That's amazing, Yulia. You're really powerful," he said with a grin.

Yulia smiled, blushing a little, then turned to him. "And you? Have you done anything interesting recently?"

Lorelei considered. "Hmmm...Oh, I met the princess of Kimlasca the other day, and had dinner with the King."

Yulia looked surprised. "You do get around a bit, don't you," she noted, then frowned. "...If you remain with her, then she will lead to the happiest moments of your life. But...well, she'll also lead to the darkest. It's up to you whether you want to put yourself through that."

Lorelei shook his head. "I don't care. I'll deal with whatever happens, good or bad."

Yulia blinked before smiling. "I see...Alright. I'll stop telling you what happens. And..maybe I'll try to live in the present rather than the future, too."

* * *

A couple of days had passed. Yulia had arranged for Lorelei to stay at the church until he wanted to move on, and he had quickly come to understand just how reliant on Yulia the people of Daath seemed to be. She rarely had any time to herself, and when she wasn't helping other people, she was studying and practicing her Fonic Hymns.

One afternoon, a knock came at his door. He looked up before heading over to it, opening.

"Hello? Oh, Yulia. Did you want something?" he asked.

Yulia nodded. "Can I come in a minute?"

"Of course," Lorelei said, stepping aside so that she could come in. Yulia headed in, sitting down as Lorelei closed the door then sat opposite her. "So, what's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter, I just wanted to ask you a question."

"Oh. Well, go ahead then, I guess."

"I was talking to my teacher earlier, and he said I've pretty much grasped everything there is to know about Fonic Hymns. So, I was thinking...what if we made a special Fonic Hymn together?"

Lorelei looked confused. "Um...sure, but why?"

Yulia smiled. "You have a deep power within you, Lorelei. I don't think you've even brushed it, not properly. I want to help you release it."

Lorelei considered this, then grinned. "Okay. It sounds like fun, actually. How long do you think it'll take?"

"Well, we could probably manage it in a week. However, if we want it to be perfect, it may take a little while."

Lorelei nodded. "Well, I'm not particularly busy. May as well get it to be the best it can, right?"

"Right. I'll talk to my teacher about it, and then we'll start tomorrow, alright?" she said, smiling.

* * *

**A/N: And thus the Grand Fonic Hymn begins to be made! Next chapter: The plot finally moves forward a little bit.**

**Review?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: And thus Suzanne and Yulia meet.**

* * *

The two of them soon set about creating the Fonic Hymn. Time seemed to fly by, the two of them being engrossed in their project and barely noticing anything else.

After time, Lorelei commented they couldn't just called it 'the Fonic Hymn'. It would simply get confused with every other fonic hymn out there. So, after a bit of thinking, Yulia came up with a new, but simple, name - the Grand Fonic Hymn.

They both decided it would do for a temporary name, and continued working.

It was one day, about three or four months after they had first started creating the Grand Fonic Hymn, when a knock came at Lorelei's door. He glanced up before walking over to it, easily opening it. A priest stood at the door, giving a brief bow.

"Master Lorelei, you have a visitor. She says that you know her."

Lorelei looked confused. He didn't know all that many people, so it limited his choices, but he couldn't think who would actively come to see him... "Alright, I'll go see who she is," he said, glancing back at Yulia with a quick grin before walking downstairs.

He entered the main hall, looking around for anyone he might notice, before seeing a red-haired woman. Blinking, he easily recognised her.

"Suzanne?" he asked, walking over to her.

Suzanne looked up, smiling as she spotted Lorelei. "Lorelei. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I had a matter of utmost importance to speak with you about," she explained.

"What's wrong?" asked Lorelei, glancing her over quickly for any injuries.

"Malkuth has attacked Kimlasca."

"What? Why?"

"We don't know. They just randomly proclaimed war on us. The country is too dangerous to stay in, so Father sent me here. But Ingobert is still with Father, and I'm worried for them...Please, Lorelei, can't you help? I don't want to see my people suffer needlessly."

Lorelei gazed at her in surprise, then smiled, nodded. "Of course I'll help. I need to talk to a friend of mine about it quickly, so why don't you come with me?" he offered.

Suzanne followed after him, heading back upstairs to his room. He opened the door, stepping aside for Suzanne to enter before closing the door and turning.

"Suzanne, this is Yulia Fende. Yulia, this is Princess Suzanne Kimlasca-Lanvaldear."

"A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness," Yulia said, bowing her head.

"Are you that famous healing prophet?" Suzanne asked in surprise. Yulia inclined her head, and Suzanne hurriedly bowed. "It is an honour to be in the presence of someone so well-renowned."

Yulia looked surprised. "Please, there's no need to bow. It makes me feel odd having royalty bow to me," she said hesitantly.

Suzanne straightened, smiling, then took a seat as Lorelei offered. Lorelei sat beside her, looking over at Yulia. "Suzanne says that Kimlasca has been attacked by Malkuth. Do you know anything about it?" he asked.

Yulia sighed. "I admit, the war was something that was unavoidable...however, I cannot see the outcome. It seems that there are multiple outcomes, depending on many factors. I daren't pick a specific path in case it is not the path that occurs."

"Isn't there a way to stop the fighting without any more violence?" asked Suzanne desperately.

Yulia gave a slight shrug. "I can't say. The options are rather limited."

Lorelei sighed. "If we can avoid fighting, we should, but I don't know what we can do..."

"What if we had the rulers talk together in a neutral space? Maybe here in Daath, even," suggested Suzanne.

Lorelei frowned. "That's not a bad idea, but Daath probably isn't the best place. The people of Daath probably wouldn't want them here, after all."

"Oh...Then what should we do? This is the only real neutral area."

"Actually, I've heard rumours of a land under the ground that can only be reached by a special waterfall. It's probably unoccupied, and would definitely be the most neutral place in all of Auldrant," Yulia said.

"Do you think we could find it?" asked Suzanne.

"If we look hard enough, I reckon we could. So are we going to hold the meeting there?" Lorelei asked, glancing between the two girls.

They both nodded. "We should start looking for it right away. I'll ask some of the priests to keep an eye out for any places that it may be at, too," Yulia decided.

"Looks like we have a plan then. We should get some rest tonight and start out in the morning," said Lorelei, grinning.

"I'll show you to a spare room, Suzanne," Yulia offered, standing up. Suzanne followed her out of the room, leaving Lorelei to his thoughts.

* * *

It took a little while for the three of them to find the place. Although options were limited for where it could be, there where still plenty of places to look at, and it could end up being in a place no one even knew about. They also had to rely on Yulia to sense if it was the right place, which put a lot of strain on Yulia.

It was practically pure luck that they found the place. They had been heading towards the next area, stopping to get some rest and collect some new water from a fresh spring. Suzanne had gone off to investigate, always interested by the places outside of Baticul, while Yulia got the water and Lorelei got the camp set up.

Yulia and Suzanne had gone the same way, though Suzanne went ahead a little further to look at a cave further ahead of the spring. Yulia was putting the cap on the water bottle back on when Suzanne suddenly came back, grabbing her hand.

"Yulia, come look!" she said with a smile, starting back. Yulia followed her with a smile; the Princess was a gentle person, and the two had quickly grown to like each other. They also both enjoyed poking fun at Lorelei occasionally, leaving him out of the loop of their little jokes and generally confusing him.

They walked into the cave and continued deeper in, until they could barely see where they were going.

"Suzanne, what are we looking for?" asked Yulia in confusion, glancing around.

"Hang on, it's just round this corner," Suzanne replied, carefully picking her way through the dark cave.

As they slipped round the corner, Suzanne stopped with Yulia beside her. She looked surprised, letting go of Suzanne's hand to walk towards the large waterfall.

"I just found it. Do you think it could be what we're looking for?" asked Suzanne, joining her.

Yulia knelt down, reaching out and placing a hand in the water. Slowly, she nodded. "It definitely is. The power coming from it is incredible," she murmured.

Suzanne looked confused, doing the same before tilting her head. "I can't feel anything," she said.

"Don't worry, this is definitely it," Yulia said, before standing. "Alright, should we head back to Lorelei?"

Suzanne nodded, the two of them starting back. As they went Suzanne sighed, and Yulia looked at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, exactly...It's just difficult being around Lorelei," she murmured.

Yulia looked concerned. "Why? If he's doing something wrong, I'll talk to him..."

Suzanne quickly lifted her hands, shaking her head. "No, he's not done something wrong! I just..." She went red, clasping her hands together. "I just like him, a bit."

Yulia blinked, then giggled. "Oh, so you have a crush on him? That's adorable," she said, poking Suzanne's cheek.

Suzanne looked put out. "He's just very handsome, is all. Besides, he's probably not interested in me."

Yulia considered. "I don't know. I suppose I could look into the future, but...Well, some things are best discovered by the person themselves rather than told."

"That's true. My father will probably want me to marry some nobleman, anyway," Suzanne said with a dramatic sigh.

"Is that so bad of a thing?"

"Not at the minute, but I hope it doesn't get to a point where it is."

"Why would it?"

"Well...This war, for example. The Emperor of Malkuth has a son, about my age, and if this war is brought to an end then they may decided we should marry to forge a tie between our countries."

"Even if you didn't love him?" Yulia asked, looking surpised.

Suzanne nodded. "Yes, even then. But there are times when you must think about your country and people rather than yourself when you live as a royal."

The two of them had reached camp by then, and Lorelei looked up as they came back. "You two took your time. Did Suzanne get lost again?" he asked, grinning.

"No. Actually, I found the entrance to that place," Suzanne replied smugly.

Lorelei looked surprised. "Really?" he asked, glancing at Yulia.

"'Really' as in, is it really the right place? Or 'really' as in, did Suzanne really find it? Because it's yes to both of them."

"The second, actually; I don't doubt that you found it."

"Rude! I _am _a princess, you know," Suzanne said with a pout.

"You don't act like one," Lorelei replied with a raised eyebrow, standing with a stretch. "Are we going now or later?"

"Now. We just need to confirm it's safe, then we can come back here to rest before going back to Daath."

"Alright, then let's go."

* * *

**A/N: Ugh, I don't know. Backstory of the world was just a little bit sketchy, but I needed underground place for a future point (and it's pretty good for a neutral space). And yes, Suzanne has an incy crush on Lorelei :3**

**Review?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: In which Suzanne is a scary person.**

* * *

The three of them stood in the water, Suzanne sighing. "My dress is going to get all wet," she mumbled.

Yulia shook her head then pressed a hand against the water, closing her eyes. The water began to glow, and suddenly they seemed to drop through it. Suzanne screamed, clutching at her dress, and Lorelei glanced over at her before sighing.

The three of them landed with a dull thump, Lorelei staggering while Suzanne fell. Yulia, already kneeling, was fine, and straightened with a surprised glance at them.

"Are you alright?" asked Lorelei, walking over to Suzanne and helping her up. She quickly brushed her dress off, trying to regain composure.

"I'm fine," she said stiffly, then glared at him. "And I saw you looking, you pervert."

"I wasn't looking!" Lorelei defended, groaning.

Suzanne ignored him, striding ahead while Yulia giggled and followed. Lorelei brought up the rear as they glanced around.

"It's a bit desolate," Suzanne noted.

"But it seems safe. We can at least hold the meeting here."

"Right. Should we head back then?" suggested Lorelei.

"Yes. We need to plan what to do next," Yulia said, turning and walking back to the waterfall.

"We have to go back up that?" sighed Suzanne, joining them.

"It should be easier this time," Yulia soothed, kneeling and pressing a hand against the water again before they went shooting up.

* * *

"We should go to Kimlasca first," Lorelei said that evening as they ate the animal he had hunted.

"Why? Isn't Malkuth more of a threat?" asked Suzanne.

"Maybe, but you'll be able to help convince the king to sign a peace treaty. He's not going to attack his own daughter, after all," Lorelei pointed out.

Yulia nodded. "Indeed. Kimlasca is also probably the easier to get to at this time," she said.

Suzanna sighed then nodded. "We'll need to get some transport then."

"That shouldn't be too difficult, especially if they recognise you or Yulia," Lorelei said.

"Actually, it may be better that they don't know who Suzanne is," Yulia interrupted.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because if they knew the Kimlascan princess was on board their ship, they may attack her if they're from Malkuth," she explained.

"It's not the first time I've had someone attack me, Yulia," Suzanne said.

"Maybe not, but we don't particularly want to risk it. Don't worry, it'll be easy enough to get there if they recognise me, and even if not it won't be too difficult," Yulia soothed.

"Alright. But I won't hide my identity to my own subjects."

"That's fine. When we're in Kimlasca, we're less likely to be attacked anyway."

* * *

The three of them stepped off the boat, heading up to the castle. Suzanne happily thrust back the hood she had been wearing, allowing her long hair to cascade down her back.

"I'm glad we're finally home. It's nice being outside Baticul, but I feel safer here," she said, glancing around.

"It does have a certain...calming nature to it," Yulia agreed, glancing around.

As they started walking, Lorelei noted there were a lot less people in the streets this time. A lot of the stalls were closed, and he frowned; war certainly changed a place in a short time.

They arrived at the palace, the guards bowing to Suzanne before opening the gates. She walked through, Lorelei and Yulia following, and the three of them went up the steps before entering.

The King wasn't on the throne this time, and Lorelei looked surprised. Suzanne noticed his confusion, and glanced at him.

"My Father and Ingobert have withdrawn to the war room, to plan strategies and such. No one is granted an audience with the King during this time," she explained.

"Will they let us in then?" asked Lorelei.

"Well, they can't exactly keep me out, and you're with me, so you're automatically granted royal access. Just don't wander off," she warned, before walking forward.

They went down a side corridor, heading down it towards a pair of large doors. A guard at the side of the door quickly bowed as he spotted Suzanne.

"At ease. Where is my father?" she asked.

"Within, Your Highness. Should I alert him that you are here?"

"No, thank you. I think I want to surprise him," she replied.

"Very well, Your Highness."

Suzanne motioned for Yulia and Lorelei to follow and went to the doors, grabbing them and thrusting them open with a loud bang before striding in. The two of them followed slowly, a little surprised by her sudden change in demeanor.

Several people stood around a table as they walked in, though they had turned to look at Suzanne in surprise. The King stood, turning to her.

"Suzanne? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I have a proposition, Father," she replied.

"Indeed?"

"Yes. We believe a peace treaty would be the best outcome of this."

He frowned. "And you believe you can get Malkuth to sign this peace treaty?"

"I believe if you and the Emperor of Malkuth meet and sign it together, then this silly war can end."

The King shook his head. "Just meeting with the Emperor is hardly going to make a difference, Suzanne."

"Actually, it can make all the difference, Father. When you get to know your enemy, you grow more hesitant to attack them."

"There is no guarantee he wouldn't just attack us. And where would we even sign it? In Daath? The church is against Kimlasca and Malkuth."

"It would be signed at a special place, Father. A place no one lives, beneath the ground."

"That's an old wives' tale, Suzanne," the King snorted.

"Actually, Your Majesty, we've found it," Yulia said, smoothly cutting in.

The King looked at her in surprise, then frowned. "There's still no guarantee that this will work. I refuse."

Suzanne sighed. "Father, you leave me no choice," she said, before drawing herself up and sending him a withering glare. "If you do not do this, I will cook for you and force you to abdicate so that Ingobert takes over!"

The room went silent, staring at Suzanne, then Lorelei snorted, quickly trying to cover it with a cough. Yulia turned away, shoulders shaking a little before she regained composure and faced forward again.

Fianlly the King sighed. "Oh...Very well. You are determined if you would threaten me with your cooking."

Suzanne's glare quickly changed to a serene smile. "I just knew you'd see the sense in it," she said sweetly.

"Y'know...Suzanne can be a little scary sometimes," Lorelei murmured to Yulia, who held back another laugh.

* * *

**A/N: After an incident in which the King was ill and Suzanne cooked a meal for him, causing him to also have food poisoning, Suzanne was banned from the kitchen.**

**Review?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Religious people are sneaky, and Lorelei starts showing his power.**

* * *

They soon started off for Grand Chokmah. They caught a boat from Baticul to Chesedonia, realising that if they tried to take a Kimlascan boat into Malkuth waters, they'd likely be shot down.

When they arrived in Chesedonia, a coach was waiting. They climbed in and it soon started off, heading across the plains towards Rotelo Bridge. As they exited the city, a guard quickly started circulating around them, keeping an eye out for any monsters and killing them before they could attack the coach.

Lorelei noted that it was a very smooth way to travel. He'd always gotten to places on his own, which included a lot of walking or the occasional horse, and just getting to sit back in this type of luxury was quite nice. Suzanne and Yulia didn't seem too bothered by it, so he guessed they'd just been in some before.

They started crossing Rotelo Bridge, soon getting across to the other end. As they stepped off, however, the coach was suddenly surrounded by soldiers.

"Passports, now," ordered one of them, holding out a hand. The driver passed over a passport, and they glanced at it before nodding and walking to the coach bit. "Passports," he said.

Lorelei glanced back at Suzanne hesitantly. She didn't have the right type of passport, and he wasn't sure Yulia did either. He did, but only because he was classed as a 'travelling mercenary'.

Yulia, however, didn't seem concerned. She opened the door and stepped out elegantly, standing facing him.

"My name is Yulia Jue, from Daath. I am on a religious pilgramige with two who have just joined the faith, and as such we do not have any possessions on us. This driver was kind enough to give us a lift to St Binah, and from there we planned to walk on to Engeve before going back to Kaitzur."

The soldier hesitated, glancing at the others. Evidently, they were pretty new, and one of them shrugged.

"V-Very well then. We'll let you cross this once. Next time, make sure you have passports," he said, stepping back.

Yulia bowed. "Thank you, kind sir. May the Gods and Goddesses look down upon you in good faith," she said before climbing back into the carriage. The driver started off, the horse trotting along.

When they were out of sight, Lorelei let out a breath. "Wow, Yulia. You handled that really well," he noted.

Yulia shrugged. "Sometimes people from the church have to get to places we may otherwise not be allowed to go. If you say you're on a pilgramige and then talk about a path away from where you actually intend to go, you can generaly end up able to go anyway."

"So basically they taught you how to be really sneaky."

"Pretty much."

"But I had a passport on me," Suzanne said, lifting it. Lorelei took it and checked, then shook his head.

"This shows you're a citizen of Kimlasca. You'd probably have been attacked or forced to turn back."

"What about you, then?" asked Suzanne, taking it back.

Lorelei passed his over. "Although it says which country I was born in, I have a little mark in the corner which basically means I can go wherever I want."

Yulia glanced over Suzanne's shoulder, and she quickly showed her. "Where did you get it? The Church never gave me a passport," she said, frowning.

"You can apply at pretty much any town to be a mercenary. You just take on requests to help people, or they can request your help specifically, and they just print that mark on your existing passport, or make you one if you don't have one."

"That's quite clever. But can't anyone do that then?" Suzanne asked.

"No, it's made from a special ink that only they're allowed to use, and you're registered into a kind of log which anyone can check to make sure you really are a mercenary. But it _is _really easy to get; you just need fighting experience."

Suzanne handed it back, leaning back in her seat. "Well, we're through now, so let's just focus on getting to Grand Chokmah and talking with the Emperor," she said.

* * *

They arrived at Grand Chokmah, the coach driver dropping them off outside before starting back for Chesedonia. The three of them walked up to the gates, noticing the various guards around.

As they approached, one of them walked up, cutting them off. "No visitors allowed," he said.

"We're with the Church, on a pilgramige..."

"No visitors allowed, Church or not. Please leave, or we'll be forced to make you."

Suzanne looked about to argue, but Yulia quickly shushed her. "Alright, we understand. May the Gods and Goddesses look down upon you in favour," she murmured, turning and walking back a little way with Lorelei and Suzanne.

"Why didn't you just try and get in?" demanded Suzanne.

"Sometimes it isn't best to push people. He was obviously not in the mood to negotiate with us, and if we'd tried to get in, he may have hurt us," Yulia replied.

Suzanne sighed. "Fine. But how are we going to get in now?"

Yulia considered. "All cities have a weak point. We'll likely find a way in if we go to a different area, or wait long enough."

"If we hide for a while then come back when it's dark, you can probably use the first hymn to send them to sleep, Yulia," Lorelei suggested.

Yulia nodded. "Alright, then let's set up camp for the rest of the evening and head over there later," she decided, the three of them heading off.

* * *

It had long since gotten dark, and the only light was provided by the moon.

The three of them had donned dark cloaks, and silently ran towards the city gates. There were less guards than there had been earlier that day, and most of them looked decidedly groggy, a few yawning occasionally.

They pressed themselves against the wall, glancing at each other, before Yulia crept forward a little and started to sing.

_"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryou Toue Zue..."_

The men blinked tiredly, before their eyes slid shut and they fell to the floor. Lorelei and Suzanne stepped out, investigating the bodies to make sure they were asleep before turnign to Yulia.

"Good work. Let's go," Lorelei murmured before running past them into the city, the two girls following behind.

"Should we rest at the Inn tonight then go to the palace tomorrow?" suggested Suzanne when they were out of sight.

"No, that's too suspicious. If there aren't supposed to be any visitors, three people stopping at the Inn will clearly mark us as not being citizens," Lorelei replied.

"So we go directly to the palace?"

"Right. Suzanne, what's the likelihood the Emperor has already retired for the night?"

"Unlikely. Father usually ends up awake until the early hours planning strategies."

"Then he should be able to grant us an audience." He glanced at the two of them. "Be careful. If you need to run, go, alright?" They both nodded, and he smiled before starting off with them following behind them.

They soon reached the palace, walking towards the guards at the entrance. They quickly barred their path, gazing at them.

"State your business," one of them ordered.

"We have important news to tell the Emperor," Suzanne said, stepping forward.

"The Emperor is not to be seen. Tell us your message and we will relay it as soon as possible."

"The news is urgent and for the Emperor's ears only. We _must _see him, or anyone directly related to him," Yulia pressed.

"I'm afraid that is impossible. Please leave or tell us your message."

Lorelei gave a quiet sigh. Guess they'd just have to sneak into the palace as well...

"No! We must see the Emperor himself!" Suzanne snapped, and Lorelei glanced at her in surprise.

The guards frowned, then shook their heads. "We will escort you out," the other one said, one of them grabbing Yulia and the other Suzanne before pointing his sword at Lorelei. Lorelei and Yulia calmly started down the steps, Suzanne slowly following behind them. Suddenly she gritted her teeth and threw herself against the guard's grip, struggling. He attempted to subdue her, but she fought against him, briefly managing to wrench her arm free and turning for the palace doors. The guard turned, reaching up to grab her again, but he wasn't paying attention to his own actions and reached out with his other hand. Everything seemed to briefly slow as they all realised what had happened, before the sword slashed Suzanne's side and she fell with a cry, clutching at the wound.

"Suzanne!" cried Yulia, pulling her arm free and running over to her.

The other guard looked at his companion, who's face had gone white. "What were you thinking?! We are not to harm the citizens!" he snapped.

"I-I'm sorry sir, I wasn't..."

Lorelei barely heard them, his gaze fully focused on Suzanne. Anger was building in him, and he clenched his fists, teeth gritted.

A glow began to appear, and they looked back in surprise before staring. A gold glow had appeared around Lorelei, slowly growing stronger as his anger grew. The two guards backed away a little, hesitating.

"You will allow us entry _now,_" Lorelei growled, the fonons in the air seeming to buzz slightly and a headache building in the four of them.

"Alright," the other said quickly, and Lorelei's gaze slipped to him. "We'll allow you to see the Emperor, but you must allow yourself to be unarmed and with your arms tied so that you cannot the Emperor."

Lorelei gazed at him a moment, then nodded, calming. "Only if you promise that no harm shall come to them," he said, motioning to the two girls.

The guard gave a brief nod. "I'll strive to make sure they are kept safe," he agreed.

Lorelei took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. The glow disappeared, and Yulia quickly took the chance to heal Suzanne's injury.

"Are you alright?" she asked, helping the other woman up.

"I'm fine. Sorry, I...I don't know what came over me," she murmured.

"Come along," the first guard murmured as the second one finished tying Lorelei's hands and started leading him up the steps.

* * *

**A/N: D'awww, protective Lorelei will blow everyone up if they hurt his girl friends ;)**

**Review?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Threats, treaties, and underground parties, oh my!**

* * *

The five of them entered the main hall, glancing around for the Emperor. Suddenly they spotted a frail old man sitting on the throne, and blinked in surprise.

"He's the Emperor?" Suzanne murmured.

"It would appear so," Yulia replied, frowning.

The guard gaze them an odd look. "You didn't know? Our Emperor is very ill and growing close to death, so he declared war on Kimlasca to try and gain more power for his Empire," he said.

"Who are these people?" the Emperor demanded, though his voice sounded weak.

"People who said they have urgent news, Emperor," the older guard said, bowing.

The man eyed them, then grunted. "Speak," he ordered.

Suzanne glanced at Yulia, then stepped forward, curtsying. "Your Excellency, it is an honour to meet you. My name is Princess Suzanne Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, the daughter of the King of Kimlasca." She straightened, meeting his gaze. "I came to speak to you about a ceasefire. Kimlasca dosn't want war, and we would all benefit if this was was called off. We would-"

"No."

Suzanne went quiet, staring. "Please, Your Excellency, won't you at least-"

"I'm not having a ceasefire," the Emperor said, then motioned to his guards. "If you are truly the Princess of Kimlasca, then your death will serve as an example to your father. Kill her," he ordered.

The guards quickly ran forward, restraining the three of them and throwing Suzanne to the floor heavily. One of them lifted a sword before the guards outside suddenly stepped forward.

"Stop! If you kill her, the place will be destroyed!" he cried.

The Emperor scowled. "Kill her!" he snarled.

The guard nodded, bringing the sword down, before there was a sudden burst of energy. Lorelei easily threw the guards holding him off, leaping forward and lashing out with a kick. The guard flew back, hitting the wall heavily and slumping. Lorelei turned to the other guards, golden eyes burning with anger, before the gold glow reappeared and energy flew out, slamming them all against the walls.

Yulia quickly straightened, singing the first verse and causing the knights to fall asleep so that only the Emperor was awake.

He looked around hesitantly, then jumped as Yulia stepped forward. "Your Excellency, please listen to me," she said, curtsying before straightening. "You have made a very grave decision, one that may result in the fall of Malkuth."

"You do not know that," snarled the Emperor.

"I do. My name is Yulia Jue, the prophet spoken of across the countries. I have seen the future, and this decision will be the end of your Empire."

The Emperor went still, immediately realising who she was. Finally he slumped. "Will it really destroy Malkuth?" he asked.

"It shall, but not because of Kimlasca; it will be because this man before you destroys it."

The Emperor glanced over at Lorelei, the gold glow still prominent around him as he glared at the old man. Finally he nodded.

"I...I understand. I agree to a ceasefire...but I refuse to go to Kimlasca."

"That's understandable, Your Excellency. However, it shall not be in Kimlasca. There is a land beneath this one, which we have found the entrance to, and you shall hold a meet down there with the King of Kimlasca."

The Emperor nodded. "Very well. I shall attend, so long as I can bring a guard."

"Certainly. We will return when the proceedings will start, so please refrain from attacking Kimlasca during this time and keep the gates open so that we may pass," Yulia said.

Suzanne had stood up again by this point, and now shook her head. "Such a journey may be too great for him," she murmured to Yulia.

Yulia considered this, then nodded before walking towards him. He hesitated, but she merely kneeled and lifted a hand to his forehead. A glow appeared, and some of the pallour left his cheeks, his foggy eyes clearing a little.

"You shall live for several more years yet, Your Excellency, and when you do pass on your Empire will flourish under the control of your fourth son," she murmured.

The Emperor stared at her, lifting his hand a moment to clench and unclench his hand, before slowly bowing his head.

"I...I thank you greatly, Prophet Jue," he said reverantly.

* * *

A few weeks later, a temporary shelter had been built for the meeting. Suzanne had headed to Kimlasca to escort her father, Yulia to Malkuth to lead the Emperor, and Lorelei was left waiting boredly for them to return.

There was a flash of light, and he turned, watching as several people stumbled before hitting the floor. Suzanne, having realised the usefulness behind Yulia's stance, had now started kneeling down. She gracefully stood, helping her father up before walking over to Lorelei.

"I hope you didn't break anything while we were gone," she said as she also took a seat.

Lorelei gave her a brief glare. "That was one time. _One._ Time."

"That doesn't mean you're exempt from ever doing it again, though," Suzanne replied.

Lorelei groaned, then looked up as Yulia walked over with the rest of the group.

She turned to the two men. "Emperor of Malkuth, King of Kimlasca, you both understand why you are here today?" They both nodded, and she stepped back. "Please take a seat, and begin the negotiations. We shall watch the proceedings, so please do not attempt to make a scene or hurt each other," she said, before turning to Lorelei and Suzanne and sitting beside them.

As the two rulers sat across from each other stiffly, Lorelei turned to Suzanne. "I recognise Ingobert, but who's the guy with the Emperor?" he asked.

Suzanne frowned. "I'm not sure, actually."

"His name is Peony Upala Malkuth IX. He's Emperor Karl's fourth son," Yulia explained quietly.

"The one you said Malkuth would prosper under?" Suzanne asked.

"Yes. His mother has the lowest status of all his father's concubines, which meant he was least likely to get the throne. A couple of his older brothers have already died fighting for the throne, so his chances had certainly increased, but if Emperor Karl openly declares him his successor, there won't be anymore need for bloodshed."

"Or his other siblings will kill him to try and regain right to the throne," Lorelei added.

"Hmm...I didn't actually consider that. There isn't actually a future where Malkuth stands and Peony isn't the ruler, but that may just mean his siblings destroy the Empire..."

"Does anyone know he's the Emperor's successor?" asked Lorelei.

"Not yet, no."

"Then just tell that guy not to say he is then. That way, they'll have no reason to attack him."

Yulia nodded. "Alright, I'll tell him when the negotiations have finished."

"That could take a few days, you know," Suzanne said.

"Why? Just say you won't declare war, maybe a few trades between the two countries, and hey presto you have yourself a deal," Lorelei said.

"It's not that simple. They may have demands they wish the other country to follow, or certain rules or regulations they want put in place, and they have to banter for it before they'll agree on anything. It generally takes a long time to do anything like this."

Lorelei groaned, leaning back. "So we're stuck down in this miserable place for a few days? Great."

* * *

As a few days passed, Yulia had to go back to the surface to collect some supplies. Suzanne and Lorelei remained behind to keep an eye on them, though it was looking like everyone was fed up with the place.

Both of the men were stubborn, and sometimes things which could be resolved easily with a little compromise took forever to get sorted. Half the time, Lorelei felt like punching them when they started arguing over something small, like what supplies could be shared between the two countries, but he luckily managed to restrain himself.

Suzanne, though not enjoying herself, didn't seem to be having it as bad as Lorelei was. She was up bright and early each day, preparing the main area for the days proceedings, while Lorelei was finding it increasingly hard to drag himself out of his tent and do anything.

One morning, Suzanne glanced over at Lorelei before frowning. "You don't look very well. Are you coming down with something?" she asked, pressing a hand to his forehead to check his temperature.

"No...I feel fine," Lorelei replied, a little confused.

Suzanne withdrew her hand. "You feel a little cold. Maybe you should ask Yulia to use a Fonic Hymn on you?"

"No, there's no point in her tiring herself out needlessly."

"Well...If you say so."

The days continued, and they were starting to draw to a close. Yulia had requested a scribe from Daath when she had returned to the surface, and now they waited for him to write up a peace treaty for the two rulers to sign.

Yulia walked over to where Suzanne and Lorelei were sitting, sighing. "This has taken much longer than I thought it would," she murmured.

"I did say it would take a while," Suzanne pointed out.

Yulia nodded, turning to Lorelei before blinking. Suddenly she grabbed his wrist, pulling him up and dragging him over to the waterfall. Suzanne, surprised, quickly leapt after them and followed.

"What's the matter?" she asked as the three of the knelt in the water.

"You should have told me something was wrong," she snapped at Lorelei instead.

The red-head looked surprised. "Nothing's wrong," he said.

"Yes there is, you idiot. I should have realised sooner..." she mumbled, pressing a hand against the water. They were soon rushing back to the surface, straightening as they reached it.

Lorelei immediately felt energy rush through him, and gave a brief gasp before curling over as pain seared through his head. Suzanne placed a hand on his back comfortingly as she looked at Yulia. "What happened?" she asked, a little scared.

"There are a lot less seventh fonons beneath the surface than above. Lorelei, being a person made solely of seventh fonons, obviously absorbs them to have normal bodily functions. Because he had so few down there to compensate, his body was slowly losing it's normal functions. Now that he's back up here, his body is absorbing as many as it can to level it out," Yulia explained, gazing at him.

Lorelei slowly straightened, rubbing his head. "Then how come I didn't notice?" he asked, wincing slightly.

"It was too gradual. That's why I didn't notice until just now either."

"But you use seventh fonons too. How come you're fine?"

"Because I went above land for a while. Believe me, I did get a little headache, but it was nothing compared to what I imagine you're feeling. Plus, I also use other fonons, which were also beneath the surface and I would be able to absorb instead to make up for the lack of seventh."

"How are you feeling?" asked Suzanne as he lowered his hand.

"A lot better," he replied, smiling reassuringly at her.

Yulia looked at Suzanne. "How much longer do you think they'll need?"

"Not long. A few hours, at least," Suzanne replied.

Yulia nodded. "Right. Suzanne and I will go back down, you wait for us up here, alright?" she said, looking at Lorelei

Lorelei frowned. "I'm fine. I can handle a few more hours," he said.

"You don't know that. For all we know, you may end up getting worse. Just stay up here and save us the worry."

Lorelei didn't look happy with the arrangement, but nodded anyway. The two girls smiled before heading back to the waterfall, stepping in and heading back down.

* * *

**A/N: I have no idea if that's true, honestly. I just figured, seeing as we probably don't have the Planet Storm in this story (please don't ask me how anything works) there may be less Seventh Fonons. Then again, we need to bear in mind that I haven't played the entire game and only seen the anime, so I really don't get how a lot of it works. **

**Review?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I read on the wiki that Yulia married a guy called Freyr Albert, but seeing as he probably isn't mentioned anywhere other than being her husband (and obviously a father to her children), I just made up bits and pieces about him.**

**Then again, I do that with everything, so meh.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, unfortunately :(**

* * *

As the two rulers finished signing the treaty, they shook hands, turning to their respective groups. The King walked towards Suzanne, and she steeled herself; she had been expecting him to tell her that she would be marrying Peony or one of the Emperor's other sons for some time now.

"What's wrong?" asked Yulia, noticing how tense she was.

Suzanne glanced at her, then gave a small smile, shaking her head. "Nothing. I'm fine," she murmured, then turned as her father stopped infront of her.

"Well, that took a long time, but I believe we are all ready to head back to the surface. Miss Jue, if you would?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," she said, and the others followed as she went back to the waterfall. When they were all stood in it, she pressed a hand against the water, and instantly they went shooting up.

Lorelei was boredly waiting for them when they arrived. Several of the group stumbled, a few falling again, while Yulia calmly stood and walked over to him.

Suzanne stepped out of the waterfall with her father and Ingobert. The three of them were silent for a few minutes, then Suzanne cleared her throat.

"Peony is rather nice," she said tentatively.

"He's certainly an interesting gambler," Ingobert muttered. The two of them had spent most of their time getting to know each other better, so that this type of thing never happened again when they were the rulers.

"Mmm...It's a little odd he has so many rappigs for pets," their father muttered, rubbing his beard.

Suzanne gazed at him uncertainly, then sighed. "Father, will I have to marry him?" she asked bluntly.

He looked surprised. "Well, if you want to, I guess we could work something out..."

"No, I mean...Did you decide I should marry him for more secure relationships between our countries?"

He shook his head. "Neither of us even suggested it. Did you want to?"

"Oh, um...well, not particularly. I just thought I may have to," Suzanne said awkwardly.

Her father smiled, before giving her a brief hug. "My child, I wouldn't make you marry someone you may not want to marry. Who you choose is up to you."

Suzanne glanced up at him, then smiled, returning the hug. "Right. Thank you, Father."

* * *

With the war sorted, Suzanne unhappily said goodbye to Yulia and Lorelei. They'd all grown close in their short time together, and it was odd to see her go. However, her duty was in her kingdom, and she was loathe to leave her subjects.

The two of them headed back to Daath, deciding to finish their fonic hymn. Yulia had been working on it during the negotiations, and although they had managed to come up with eight verses, they were only drafts. The only ones which were really perfected were the first three, which meant they still had to finish the last five.

"I think I need to change this bit to Ryou Zue Rei, rather than Kuroa Zue Rei," Yulia murmured.

"Or you could keep Kuroa, and just have Ryou after it," Lorelei suggested, sitting back.

Yulia blinked, then quickly scribbled it down. "That's not a bad idea," she agreed, turning to the last bit.

Lorelei leant over, then tapped a finger. "Could do that for the sixth, too. It just focuses it a little better," he pointed out.

Yulia nodded, crossing out the bit and writing it. Lorelei sat back again, staring out of the window at the high sun, his thoughts wandering.

Yulia looked up, turning to him and frowning. "What's the matter? You've been out of it since we got back," she said. Lorelei didn't reply, and she shook her head. "Are you still thinking about Suzanne? Lorelei, she's a princess; she can't be with us forever."

"It's not just about that," he murmured, and Yulia looked confused. He glanced at her, then sighed. "Look, I may have liked her a bit, okay?"

Yulia blinked, then giggled. "You fancy Suzanne?"

"S-Shut up! See, this is why I didn't tell you in the first place!"

Yulia shook her head, hiding her smile. "So you're feeling a bit lonely for her?"

"..Not exactly. I...just kinda wish I'd told her how I feel."

Yulia smiled, then turned as there was a knock. "Come in!" she called, standing up and walking over to it.

The door was opened, and a man with dark brown hair and brown eyes stepped in, glancing around uncertainly. "Pardon my intrusion, miss...I was told this was Prophet Jue's room," he said, bowing.

"It is. How can I help you?"

"Well...You are renowned as a great healer, and my family wished me to see you about a certain...illness that I have."

"I see. Come here, I shall see if I can heal you," she said. The man entered the room, walking over to her, and she lifted a hand to his forehead. Suddenly she blinked before pulling back as if stung, her eyes wide.

Lorelei stood, crossing over. "Yulia? What's the matter?"

"I...I'm sorry. I can't heal you," Yulia whispered, tears rising.

The man sighed, nodding. "I understand. Thank you anyway," he said, turning and heading out.

Yulia sank to the floor, and Lorelei quickly joined her, checking her over. "Yulia, what's wrong?" he asked.

"That...That man...His future is so horrible. I didn't see anything too specific but he dies in such agony..All I could see was that he was lonely and cold.."

"Is it related to his disease?"

"It's not exactly a disease. He lacks fonons, and his body overcompensates by absorbing massive amounts instead. But it's slowly killing him." She shook her head, lifting a hand over her eyes. "I don't want to just leave him, Lorelei. At the very least, I want to be able to make sure he isn't lonely when he dies..."

Lorelei gazed at her, then suddenly blinked before standing. "Go with him. Try and help him, if you can."

Yulia looked up at him in confusion. "Why? Do you have an idea?"

"The land beneath the surface has less fonons, right? What if he lived down there?"

Yulia didn't look convinced. "But he'd still be alone..."

"We can work that out later. Maybe other people who don't rely much on Fonons, or people who want to live down there could also go."

"Lorelei, this is going to take a lot longer than I think you realise. You can't make a place for people to live in a few days."

"I'm not doing it by myself. I'll ask Suzanne if she can spare some people to help, and maybe Malkuth will too. And some places have too many people living there, right? Maybe they can move down there; there was a lot of space, after all."

Yulia hesitated, then lifted herself. "If we're doing this, then I'll help you."

"Fine. But you better go after that guy first, otherwise we may not find him again."

Yulia blinked before nodding, standing up and hurrying out of the room. Lorelei watched her, go then straightened and glanced around.

"This is going to take a long time."

* * *

Several months had already passed. Yulia had soon found the man, who had introduced himself as Freyr Albert. When she explained what they intended to do, he was at first surprised, then was happy enough to agree to it.

Lorelei headed to Kimlasca, asking Suzanne if anyone could help. When asking around, several people agreed to help, and soon the process began. When Yulia asked if Malkuth could provide any supplies or people, the Emperor quickly agreed, and more people began to help build as well.

Four months later, the basis for the town had begun. Suzanne went out looking for people who may be wanting to live there, mostly finding people in severe poverty or living on the streets. With the promise of a stable home and income, several people agreed, and planning had be increased for more homes and buildings to work at.

As building continued, the three of them went out looking for secure supply lines so that they had food and household items. They found several traders willing to help from all parts of the countries, and it was seeming that the town - which was quickly becoming a city despite not being finished - was going to become as popular a place to live as some of the larger cities.

"You know, we need to name this place," Suzanne said as they took a break from building. Lorelei nodded, considering.

"Well, it was your idea Lorelei, so why don't we call it after you?" suggested Yulia.

Lorelei shook his head. "No way. I may have come up with the idea, but it was because of you that I got the inspiration," he pointed out.

Suzanne smiled. "I think Yulia City has a nice ring to it," she said.

Lorelei blinked, then grinned. "Yeah...It does," he agreed.

Yulia looked surprised. "Why would you name it after me? We're building it for Freyr in the first place, so why not call it after him?"

"No, I think Yulia City sounds better. And besides, you're a famous prophet. It makes sense for someone like you to have a city named after you," Suzanne said.

Yulia looked about to argue, so Lorelei cut her off. "Come on, it's fine, isn't it? It's only a name, after all," he said with a grin.

Yulai glanced between them, then sighed before nodding. "Fine. I suppose no harm can come from it, after all."

* * *

**A/N: And Yulia City is built. Unfortunately, Freyr doesn't get much screen time in this (because I had no idea how to write his character) and I'm aware that Yulia was pretty impulsive with her decision, but oh well. There probably isn't a disease which means you have a lack of fonons, but frankly, there's nothing disputing it (to my knowledge at least). **

**Review?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: From here on it's starts getting more jumpy, but that's on purpose *coughs***

* * *

Almost a year later, the city was practically complete. Several people had already moved in, and it was becoming lively.

Yulia knelt in a garden within the main dome, tending to several flowers. They were a special type, ones that only bloomed during the night, but they were extremely beautiful and their fragrance was refreshing to her. Plus, they got more moonlight than sunlight anyway, so it seemed sensible.

She had finished planting a new one and glanced around at the rest, smiling gently. There weren't very many yet, but as she knelt in the centre of them, she seemed to be in the centre of a small, white ring.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned, watching as Freyr walked in. She smiled as he spotted her, and he went a little red before glancing away and continuing forward.

"I figured you'd be in here," he said, stopping at the edge of the flowers.

Yulia stood, brushing her skirt off gently. "I just enjoy tending to them. Then again, I suppose I should really spend more time with the people...How are you holding up, by the way?"

Freyr shrugged. "Well enough. I've been feeling a lot better since we came down here, actually."

"I noticed. A lot of people have commented on how hard you worked during construction," Yulia said.

Freyr blinked then rubbed the back of his head. "Really? That's a bit embarassing...I just didn't want to be a bother."

Yulia smiled. "You aren't a bother, Freyr," she reassured.

Freyr glanced out the window towards the large city sprawling beneath them. "But you've done so much for me...I can't thank you enough, Yulia."

Yulia shook her head. "I know you're a kind person Freyr. Doing this for you is probably less than what you've done for everyone else in your life."

Freyr blinked, then hesitated before reaching into his pocket. "Yulia...I know I must have said it before a million times, but I really am grateful for everything you've done. A whole lifetime of thanking you couldn't express how I feel."

Yulia smiled, then blinked as he slipped onto one knee, gently reaching out and taking her hand. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, slipping a silver ring with a beautiful blue stone embedded on it onto her finger.

"So...would you give me the privilege of spending the rest of my lifetime with you?"

Yulia stared at him a moment, then lifted a hand to her mouth, tears entering her eyes. Freyr looked a little alarmed, standing. "Sorry, I know it's really sudden, but I just-"

Yulia cut him off as she leapt at him, hugging him tightly. "Yes! Yes, yes, I would be honoured to spend the rest of my life with you!" she cried, kissing him.

* * *

Lorelei stretched as he and Suzanne arrived back at the surface. He felt the familiar rush of fonons, but he'd long since gotten used to it and merely put his hands behind his head as he started walking.

Suzanne walked beside him, glancing around the forest. She had cut her hair after finding it a constant bother while she was trying to do things, and it now came to above her shoulders, framing her face. She'd been a bit hesitant by the change, but Lorelei and Yulia had assured her it suited her just fine.

Indeed, a lot of the time Lorelei just couldn't take his eyes off her. She had slowly been gaining an air of regality and grace around her, making her seem almost otherworldy when she was quiet like now.

An idea occured to him, and he looked at her. "Hey, Suzanne? Before you head home, would you like to visit somewhere with me?"

Suzanne glanced at him in surprise, then smiled. "Sure. Where is it?"

"This island a little way from the Kaitzur Naval Port. I know it's pretty out of the way, but I just wanted to show you something."

"I don't mind. It's not like I have to be back any time soon."

"Alright, then we'll head over to the port and get a boat out," Lorelei decided, grinning.

* * *

About a week later, the two of them finally stepped off on the island. It was odd being just the two of them; they were used to having Yulia with them when they were together, or being in Baticul where there were plenty of other people. However, now it was just the two of them, and they almost found it...awkward.

As they started walking along the island, Lorelei relaxed, giving a happy smile. When they were at what he felt was a good area, he sat himself down on the grass, leaning back and waiting expectantly.

Suzanne joined him, glancing around. "Lorelei, why are we here? It's just a large plain," she said in confusion.

"Yeah, I know," he replied, then pointed. "I'm going to build a house right there," he added.

Suzanne looked at him in surprise. "You don't plan on going back to Daath or Hod? Or staying with Yulia?"

He shook his head. "I...don't really have a home in Hod anymore, and I was only in Daath because of Yulia. And now that she's going to live in Yulia City, I can't stay there." He shrugged. "Besides, I'd decided years ago that I was going to live here when I got older."

"Why here specifically?"

"It's just peaceful. And I know it's not much right now, but at night time you can see the stars really clearly, and it's just really beautiful," he said happily.

Suzanne gave a vague hum, leaning back and staring up at the sky as it slowly grew darker.

She was suddenly woken by Lorelei shaking her, and sat up, looking around blearily. "Wha..."

"Sorry, I wouldn't have disturbed you, but this is what I wanted you to see," Lorelei explained before helping her up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, feeling irrationally cross at being woken, before she gasped.

Bits of light were floating around, occasionally winking out or growing brighter. They seemed focused around one specific area, though there were some around where they stood looking over them.

"There's a lot of Sixth and Seventh Fonons here, and they manifest into these little balls of light. It really took my breath away when I first saw them," Lorelei said, voice hushed.

"It's..beautiful," Suzanne murmured, eyes wide.

Lorelei grinned at her, then ran towards them, spinning round to face her. The lights began to twist around him with his movement, the light shining off his slightly and seeming to light him up. He reached out a hand towards her, and she stepped forward hesitantly, taking it.

He pulled her into the centre, starting to spin. The lights flickered around them, and Suzanne stared as they seemed to become a circle of light around them. Glancing up at Lorelei, his eyes seemed to be glowing, lit up even more by the lights around them. She gave a breathless laugh, moving with him. Lorelei's grin widened, and the lights seemed to grow brighter in reply.

Suddenly he slipped a hand beneath her, lifting her up. "Hold on to me," he said, and she automatically slipped her arms around his neck as he lowered his hand. There was a brief gold glow, then suddenly power shot from it, and the two of them went flying into the sky.

Suzanne gave a brief scream, clutching at Lorelei, and he gave a chuckle. "Don't worry, we're fine. Look down," he murmured. Suzanne wasn't convinced, but forced herself to pull away a little, looking down before suddenly gasping.

The lights had created a sort of funnel, but now began to spread out, becoming a sort of whirlpool of light. Some of the lights flickered around them as well, having been brought up by Lorelei's sudden leap, and a wave of light spread from the remnants of his power.

It was like watching an intoxicating dance, but all too soon they began to fall again. Suzanne clung onto Lorelei, but he landed easily. The light around them was quickly blown away, and she watched as another wave of light arced out and upwards slightly as it dissipated.

Suzanne was so distracted, she barely noticed she was still holding onto Lorelei. Finally he gave a cough, and she glanced at him before going red and quickly letting go, stepping onto the ground.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, grinning.

Suzanne nodded, giving a breathless smile. "It was...utterly entrancing. I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life," she said.

"I see something even more beautiful," Lorelei murmured, before blinking and going red as Suzanne looked at him in confusion. "Oh, um..Just forget I said anything."

She gazed at him a moment, then smiled. "Maybe once you're finished building that house you talked about, I'll come out and visit."

"I'd be happy to have you," Lorelei agreed, grinning.

* * *

**A/N: I'll be honest, my favourite part was writing all the Lorelei/Suzanne. And Yulia's marrying Freyr!**

**Review?**


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